Poll: Youths say religion, family make them happy

August 25, 2007|By Babita Persaud, Sentinel Staff Writer

Every school day, 17-year-old Frankie Rivera rises at 6 a.m. to read his Bible before heading to Edgewater High in Orlando.

A generation ago, peers might have jeered him for such religious devotion -- but not anymore. A nationwide poll released this week by The Associated Press and MTV found that a majority of 13- to 24-year-olds say religion and family are what make them happy. They idolize their parents, not sports stars.

"It may be this generation is less materialistic," said Jane Brown, a professor at the Chapel Hill campus of the University of North Carolina who has studied adolescent behavior for three decades. "When you think of [that age group], what comes to mind is difficult times and depression. [But] the research shows it's not always like that."

The AP-MTV poll involved online interviews with 1,280 youths last spring. The poll mirrors what social researchers have been seeing in their surveys.

Jacquelynne Eccles, a University of Michigan psychology professor who since 1980 has helped conduct surveys of young people, said they often cite their parents as heroes.

"In general, attitudes toward the family are very positive and haven't changed over the last 20 years," said Eccles.

More than 100 questions were asked in the poll, including "What makes you happy?"

Nearly 75 percent of those polled said their relationship with their parents made them happy -- followed by spending time with friends and then a significant other. And 55 percent said religion is either a very important part of life or the most important thing.

The findings appear to ring true among young people in Central Florida.

Frankie -- an Edgewater junior who wears an earring and carries a cell phone that rings often -- said religion has been a priority for most of his adolescent life. He goes to two churches, and it's not because his parents say he has to. "I like going to church," he said.

The poll also attempted to identify individuals who are thought of as heroes by young people. Of public figures, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. had the most mentions. Others included Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jordan, Hillary Clinton and Tiger Woods.

But half mentioned at least one of their parents -- moms more often than dads.

UCF student Christina Ly said her mom -- and the grandmother who taught her Chinese -- are her heroes. Her parents, she said, "are my top priority. I owe a lot to them."

Researchers attribute this to parents spending more time with their children. Silvia Beham, an Orlando real-estate professional with a teenage daughter, said she always tries to be at home at dinnertime.

According to the poll, marriage is a goal for most young people, with 92 percent saying they definitely or probably want to get married.

The poll also found that young people are sexually active -- though being sexually active doesn't necessarily lead to happiness. Among 13- to 17-year-olds, sexual activity resulted in less happiness, according to the survey. And for sexually active people between 18 and 24, sex might lead to more happiness in the moment but not in general.

The findings parallel research by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, which found that most teens experience regret if they become sexually active at a young age.

Issy Beham, a 13-year-old eighth-grader at Orlando's St. James Cathedral School, said sexual activity is often talked about among girls her age. She stopped trolling MySpace because girls try to "out sexy" one another online, she said.

The poll also found that while most young people are happy overall, a lot of them feel stress. For ages 13 to 17, school is the greatest source of stress. For those 18 to 24, jobs and financial worries are the source.

When asked what one thing makes them happiest, almost no one in the poll mentioned money or anything material.

Still, it was apparent that money does play a role in happiness. Slightly fewer than half of those polled said they would be happier if they had more money.